Cost of Living Comparison Between Honiara and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Honiara and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,132 per month in Honiara vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,750 per month in Honiara vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,369 per month in Honiara vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Honiara costs about 68% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Honiara sits 59% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.10 SBD 48.96

$4.70 ฿153

29.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 SBD 410

$45.37 ฿1,482

12.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 SBD 95.6

$8.43 ฿275

41.40%

Cappuccino

$3.00 SBD 24.09

$2.93 ฿95.6

2.39%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 SBD 11.13

$0.69 ฿22.40

101.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 SBD 8.61

$0.37 ฿11.99

189.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SBD 14.59

$2.41 ฿78.6

-24.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 SBD 28.42

$3.72 ฿122

-4.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.56 SBD 20.52

$2.23 ฿72.9

14.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 SBD 11.92

$1.83 ฿59.8

-18.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 SBD 12.33

$2.17 ฿70.8

-29.03%

Eggs

$5.49 SBD 44.07

$2.21 ฿72.3

148.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.95 SBD 31.70

$19.74 ฿645

-79.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.40 SBD 67.4

$3.63 ฿119

131.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.53 SBD 117

$13.53 ฿442

7.39%

Apples (1kg)

$7.63 SBD 61.2

$3.28 ฿107

132.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 SBD 21.52

$1.61 ฿52.6

66.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.83 SBD 62.8

$2.41 ฿78.6

224.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 SBD 26.81

$2.08 ฿68.1

60.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 SBD 15.66

$1.53 ฿49.93

27.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.32 SBD 26.64

$1.48 ฿48.36

124.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 SBD 10.73

$0.99 ฿32.29

35.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 SBD 8.59

$0.51 ฿16.67

109.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 SBD 31.56

$4.41 ฿144

-10.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 SBD 83.9

$19.38 ฿633

-46.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SBD 14.86

$1.78 ฿58.1

3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 SBD 25.72

$2.71 ฿88.6

18.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 SBD 3.73

$1.37 ฿44.79

-65.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.71 SBD 190

$11.39 ฿372

108.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 SBD 9.71

$3.02 ฿98.6

-59.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 SBD 9.35

$0.99 ฿32.48

18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.88 SBD 95.4

$14.10 ฿461

-15.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 SBD 10.36

$1.36 ฿44.51

-5.15%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.2K ฿921.1K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.9K ฿1.1M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$709 SBD 5,688

$122 ฿3,975

482.51%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$26.03 SBD 209

$13.57 ฿443

91.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 SBD 689

$18.31 ฿598

369.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 SBD 47.81

$17.14 ฿560

-65.23%

Cinema Ticket

$3.35 SBD 26.86

$8.69 ฿284

-61.45%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$94.6 SBD 759

$693 ฿22.6K

-86.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,788 SBD 22.4K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-82.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.64 SBD 166

$59.5 ฿1,944

-65.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$90.8 SBD 728

$34.77 ฿1,136

161.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 SBD 607

$115 ฿3,743

-34.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 SBD 602

$83.3 ฿2,720

-9.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 SBD 4,390

$613 ฿20.0K

-10.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 SBD 5,005

$437 ฿14.3K

42.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 SBD 9,913

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-41.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$836 SBD 6,707

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-44.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$85.7K SBD 687.5K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

2185.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$62.9K SBD 504.9K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

2305.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$699 SBD 5,606

$508 ฿16.6K

37.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.67

5.33

194.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Honiara: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $547 in Honiara versus $613 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 38% higher in Honiara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Honiara versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $293 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Honiara vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,132 in Honiara, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 68% apart. Honiara costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,198 per month in Honiara and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Honiara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Honiara and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Honiara at $2,132. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Honiara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,265 in Phuket to $2,132 in Honiara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Honiara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.